ICC confirm bans for Pakistan trio

Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been handed long bans after charges under the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption code were proved.

Former Pakistan captain Butt has been banned for 10 years, five of which are suspended. Michael Beloff QC, who chaired the three-man anti-corruption tribunal in Doha, found the charge that Butt had failed to disclose an approach from player agent Mazhar Majeed to bat out a maiden over in the third Test against England at The Oval in August as proved, although a charge that he agreed to bat out a maiden over was dismissed.

Asif was banned for seven years, two of which were suspended, while Amir will serve a five-year ban. The three players can appeal to the Court of Arbitration (CAS) against the ICC bans.

Mr Beloff said in a statement released by the ICC: "The Tribunal found that the charge under Article 2.1.1 of the (ICC's anti-corruption) Code that Mr Butt agreed to bat out a maiden over in the Oval Test match played between Pakistan and England from 18 to 21 August 2010 was dismissed, whereas the charge under Article 2.4.2 that Mr Butt failed to disclose to the ICC's ACSU (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit) the approach by Mr Majeed that Mr Butt should bat a maiden over in the Oval Test was proved.

"The Tribunal found that the charges under Article 2.1.1 of the Code that (respectively) Mr Asif agreed to bowl and did bowl a deliberate no ball in the Lord's Test match played between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August 2010, Mr Amir agreed to bowl and did bowl two deliberate no balls in the same Test, and Mr Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate no balls, were proved.

"We impose the following sanctions: On Mr Butt a sanction of ten years ineligibility, five years of which are suspended on condition that he commits no further breach of the code and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of Anti-Corruption education.

"On Mr Asif a sanction of seven years ineligibility, two years of which are suspended on condition that he commits no further breach of the code and that he participates under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in a programme of Anti-Corruption education.

"On Mr Amir sanction of five years of ineligibility."

The ICC bans come a day after the trio were told they would have to appear in a British court charged with cheating bookmakers.

Butt, Asif and Amir - who were questioned by Scotland Yard detectives over the alleged match-fixing scandal last August - will be charged with conspiring to cheat bookmakers, along with agent Mazhar Majeed, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.